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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsThe Good, Bad, and Ugly of Doing It Yourself
Like a lot of people, my income has gone down somewhat since about 2007. My wife and I are staying afloat, but it's trying at times. Unexpected expenses are always a problem. Also like a lot of people, one of the ways we compensate for that is by doing some jobs ourselves that we would normally have done by others. Yesterday is an example, and made me think about all of the aspects of doing a job myself that I wish I could give to others. Someone who earns his or her living doing this work wasn't going to get this job. That bothers me, and is why I'm posting this.
We drive a 1991 Volvo station wagon. Right now, it's our only car, since the 1999 GMC Jimmy finally cost itself to death in repairs. About three months ago, the road salt from five winters finally took its toll on the Volvo. The connection between the front exhaust pipe and the catalytic converter just flat rusted off and broke. As a temporary fix, I installed a flexible exhaust pipe in place of the catalytic converter, knowing that was not a solution, but just then, our property taxes were due, and there was no extra money available. Worse, that put the car in the Check Engine light, emergency mode, which pollutes badly. Not a good thing at all.
In preparation for getting the thing fixed properly, I took the car to an independent shop I trust to get an estimate for the repair, which would involve replacing both the front exhaust pipe that attaches to the exhaust manifold and the catalytic converter. The estimate wasn't good news. $1200. I tried another place, but it was still over $1000. For us, that's a lot of money to come up with, and we have gotten rid of all of our credit cards to stop the madness of having a convenient way to put ourselves further in debt when things like this come up.
At this point, I should say that I worked in my father's independent auto repair business for about five years, back in my 20s, so I have the skills to do this myself, along with the tools that have followed me since then. But, I'm 66 years old, and no longer enjoy working on cars, especially when it involves working underneath them in my driveway. I'm creaky, out of practice, and always seem to pay, physically, when I do.
No choice, though, in this case. So, I went online and hunted down the parts from a discount auto parts store. Using generic parts (all made in the USA, by the way), I found that I could get the front pipe and catalytic converter, along with the various other bits for almost exactly $250. Now, these were not OEM parts, by any means, and probably won't last as long as better quality parts, but the car may not either. I ordered them.
I hate working on exhaust systems. They're terrible. Stuff rusts together and won't come apart, and I don't have an oxy-acetylene torch to heat stuff up. Even worse, it's very common when working on header pipes that the studs on the exhaust manifold break off when you attempt to remove the rusted-on nuts. Generic exhaust parts have a habit of not fitting exactly as they should, too, and sometimes require modifications to components they're suppose to mate with. To make matters worse, working on exhaust systems in your driveway, even if you have drive-on ramps to raise the front of the car some, involves much lying on the driveway under the car and applying force to things when you can't get into the right position. Anyhow, it's not a pleasant system to work on without having a nice hoist to raise the car up so you can work on it standing.
Because of all of the negatives about doing this kind of work yourself, I worked myself up into a nervous state the day before I was going to attempt the job. Since this is our only car right now, my wife borrowed her mother's car so I could make the inevitable additional trips to the parts house. I drove the car up on the ramps at 8AM, yesterday. Luckily, things came apart pretty well, although I had to resort to using a reciprocating saw to remove one rusted clamp, and to saw off one pipe, rather than removing it from its coupling joint, where it was rusted solid together. None of the studs on the manifold twisted off, but one stud had damaged threads near the end, so I had to saw off 1/4" of it so the new nut could be started. A Dremel tool with an abrasive blade handled that OK. (Thank goodness I have one. There's no other way to do it in that confined space.)
Only one issue cropped up. The generic catalytic converter and its attached pipe were about three inches shorter than the original. Fortunately, my having to saw off the old pipe at the connection meant that nothing more than a trip to the parts store to buy an inexpensive adapter and a couple of new clamps solved the problem. Everything went back together OK. It's the tearing apart that is the hardest thing about exhaust system work. After tightening all the clamps and other connections, plus re-installing the oxygen sensor in the new catalytic converter, I started the car. Nothing leaked. The Check Engine light was off, and all was well. Mom-in-law got her car back. I only spent four hours on the job. Had I been working in an actual garage with a hoist the whole job would have taken about an hour or so. Working on a driveway...about four times longer.
Afterwards, I took a shower, and assessed the damage to my person from the job. A big bruise and raspberry on my left elbow. A big bruise on my left hip bone, from rolling around on the asphalt, plus a few assorted dings on my hands and elsewhere. Not too bad, but this morning there are also a few aching muscles from dragging myself in and out under the car and from applying force from awkward positions.
So, the good: We saved several hundred dollars. The Volvo's emission controls are working properly again. The car's not running in emergency mode from the disconnected oxygen sensor, so the gas mileage will go back to its decent normal 24 MPG or so, and the car's not spewing toxic fumes so much. Finally, all of the parts I used were made in the USA by workers here.
The bad: Some auto repair place did not get this job, which may mean that they're not getting other jobs because people are forced to do the work themselves. If they're not getting the work, someone's not doing the work, so a skilled worker isn't getting paid. It's about 4-5 times more expensive to have jobs like this done than to do it yourself, but auto repair businesses have expensive tools, expensive facilities, and make a profit on the parts they install. They won't install the cheap parts I bought, because that can lead to customer complaints, so all the parts are more expensive. I can take that risk, but they can't. I don't begrudge independent auto repair places their high prices. It's the economy that's the problem. The cars have to be fixed.
The ugly: Me. I'm still ugly. Fixing the car did nothing to fix that. In fact, the scrapes and bruises, etc. make things worse. The car's still ugly. It's out of style, the paint's not what it used to be, and there is still a small rip in the driver's seat, a stain on the passenger seat, and a headliner that keeps trying to sneak out from the edges. It runs great, though.
jberryhill
(62,444 posts)HopeHoops
(47,675 posts)MineralMan
(146,338 posts)Also, for rusted together stuff, PD Blaster is very superior to WD-40. Just a tip from an old-timer.
HopeHoops
(47,675 posts)MineralMan
(146,338 posts)Sadly, it did nothing for that exhaust pipe joint, and I didn't even try with that old clamp. Worked on the exhaust manifold nuts, though (pbui).
HopeHoops
(47,675 posts)Ikonoklast
(23,973 posts)Home-grown company from Cleveland, Ohio.
http://www.blastercorporation.com/
They have an excellent line of products, the dry graphite spray is excellent for using on the sliders on the trailer tandems, works better than anything I've ever used, and is waaaay less expensive.
MineralMan
(146,338 posts)But, alas...
MicaelS
(8,747 posts)You drive a rusted out 20 year old Volvo station wagon.
Anytime you're accused of not being a "True Progressive" , just point them to your OP.
MineralMan
(146,338 posts)That's a requirement for 20-year-old Volvos in Minnesota.
MicaelS
(8,747 posts)grasswire
(50,130 posts)When my old Volvo finally quit, I gave up cars. And that was almost ten years ago.
To start the Volvo, I had to go through quite a routine.
Because the key had long ago broken off in the opening, I had to use a screwdriver to turn on the engine. But first, I had to use a crochet hook to open the hood latch, because I had to put the connections back onto the battery. To turn off the engine, I had to just let it die. Then go 'round and use the crochet hook to open the hood and remove the connectors to the battery. Oh, and the passenger door only opened from the inside.
But hey --- almost 250,000 miles. And still stylin', it was!
Blue Owl
(50,532 posts)On a smaller scale, I try to wrench my bike to save a few bucks -- but car repairs are a whole 'nother story!
MineralMan
(146,338 posts)Truly.
Zalatix
(8,994 posts)It was disastrous, considering I'm not a grease monkey. I was fortunate that the work I did try to do didn't wind up costing me MORE when I had to take it in for repairs anyway.
Nowadays many homes are under a HOA which prevents you from working on a car in your driveway. I bet a few won't even let you work on one in your closed garage (if they can find a way to catch you). To say nothing of apartment areas.
We can afford to bail out AIG and wage pointless wars in Iraq and Afghanistan but we could never hope to help people whose cars break down in this ultra car-dependent society. Go figure.
MineralMan
(146,338 posts)and everyone here works on their own cars in the driveway. Nobody on my block has the money to pay a mechanic, but they're homeowners. I helped the neighbor across the street swap an engine in his car a month ago. He found a good engine in a wrecked car on Craig's List. But he did almost all of the work, I just helped with the engine hoist getting the old one out and the new one in.
MicaelS
(8,747 posts)A 2008 Altima I bought used. I bought an 100,000 mile extended warranty with a $50 deductible. I even let them change the oil, and they only charge me $20.
In addition the power train has a Lifetime Warranty ($150 deductible) as long as I own the car. Covers the entire engine, CVT transmission and driveshafts. I plan to keep this car for a long time. Hell it's less than 5 years old, and I only have 66k miles on it, and those are 90% highway.
But if I could afford to buy a 2013 Altima I would buy one in a heartbeat.
liberal N proud
(60,347 posts)Two cars quit running within hours of each other, one of those never came home, it was too much to repair.
In the last month, I spend $2,000 at the shop and still made repairs of my own on one car.
Here is the story, the first two were our primary vehicles and broke down with in hours of each other:
2001 - never found out what was wrong, sent her to the junk yard after a week in the shop.
2003 - needed a new fuel pump
2002 - needed tie rods replaced
1990 - Starter, Water Pump, timing belt, Heater Hose burst.
I replaced the starter and the hoses, the shop did the water pump and timing belt.
After a week with the 2001, I went looking for another vehicle and junked the old care, it had 180,000 miles on it and the repairs were more than it was worth just to get it running again plus it needed new rubber, the electronics were getting flaky and the drivers seat wore out.
Cars, we love them, but can kick us in the ass.
MineralMan
(146,338 posts)It's a long walk to the supermarket, though.
kentauros
(29,414 posts)Even though I grew up doing that kind of thing. When you have an engineer for a father, it's a given that you do as much mechanical repairs yourself as feasible.
However, I really got sick of getting bruised, burnt, scraped, smashed and just plain filthy dirty even doing the simple things like an oil change. It's simply not worth the hassle to save a few bucks. Thus, I have a mechanics shop I trust and have taken my car to for the last six years. They have the proper lifting and recycling equipment, too. Plus, that's all they do all day long. It's their living. It's not mine. Best to leave it all to the experts, especially ones you know and trust
MineralMan
(146,338 posts)Since I have the skills, it's a fallback position I use when necessary. When I can afford to, the car goes to the shop. When I can't, I do it myself, and save.
kentauros
(29,414 posts)is less costly. Plus, I know the job is getting done correctly, instead of whatever I'm able to figure out from a mechanics manual. I'm not trained in auto mechanics. They are
1StrongBlackMan
(31,849 posts)It reminds me of times I have done work on my vehicles over the years.
But what I must have missed in you narrative was the BEER! Any backyard mechanic work requires at least a six, but probably a case of the cold stuff ... It's guaranteed to add 6-10 hours, 3 bloodied knuckles and a handful of uninstalled screws/nuts, to any job!
MineralMan
(146,338 posts)to give you advice. That's the standard way to do backyard auto wrenching. I've tried that method, with mixed results. Never with good results, but with mixed results. Thanks!
HappyMe
(20,277 posts)Yeah. There was a guy working on his truck yesterday outside my apartment. It turned into what I call The Meeting of The Minds. A few guys from the other buildings wandered over. Then 2 guys from down the street came. The job got done, the guys had a good time. I don't know if they ended up with extra parts.
phantom power
(25,966 posts)MineralMan
(146,338 posts)Thanks for posting that graphic.
FarCenter
(19,429 posts)You forgot the other arrows for income taxes on the paycheck, sales tax on the purchases, and profit margin and interest on debt for the business.
Ganja Ninja
(15,953 posts)The old 80GB drive was full and couldn't be cleaned up enough. The IT guys said it wasn't worth the cost for them to replace it. "Windows XP is no longer supported." "Time parts and labor will be as much as a new computer."
The thing is the company just didn't have the money. So I went out and bought a new 160GB drive, a drive reader and a program for cloning the old drive on to the new one. $70 for the drive, $20 for the reader and $50 for the program. About 4 hours worth of work, most of it spent watching the files transfer and I was done. The company payed me for the drive and I kept the reader and program for myself.
I swear the IT business is scam about half the time.
Ghost of Huey Long
(322 posts)And they do it because they can, because people are too trusting and cannot do things for themselves.
And it is across the board, when they can screw you they will. Look at our medical industry. Hospital costs are ridiculously absurd and all everyone talks about is insurance costs. They charge that much cause they can...what are you going to do....die? (you might do that afterward after from the stress upon receiving the bill)
Meanwhile teachers and child care workers caring for 30 -40 children get paid crap.
Why do we all have to strive so hard to be 'rich' that we toss everything else aside like common decency?
'Treat people how you want to be treated'...do these scammers every stop and consider this?
I wish this were a Christian nation.
When you just think about the environmental damage this gouging does as well, people replacing cars and computers because they are too expensive to fix. We are filling up the landfills with toxic crap, and wasting precious natural resources because of this.
Ghost of Huey Long
(322 posts)You said the parts were $250, labor would be about an hour in a shop with a lift.... $1000 bucks an hour labor? (they probably get the parts cheaper)
How much did your Dad charge?
meaculpa2011
(918 posts)expensive. Same with most European cars.
I know. I replaced some exhaust parts on my 1995 BMW 525 and out of curiosity asked about a complete system. Over $2,000 for the parts alone. I crawled under car in the driveway and did the job with about $100 worth of OEM parts. Would have been half at Advance, but I wanted to do the job right away and the Advance parts would have taken a day to deliver.
Congrats to you MineralMan. I know you think that you deprived the auto shop of some income, but the cash you saved is money you can spend elsewhere some time in the future. Better than giving it to the credit card company.
I'm also in my 60s, but I love doing work on my car. Does that make me a conservative, or just cheap?